I learned today that when raw honey leaves the protection of the honeycomb and is exposed to air it absorbs water from the atmosphere and dilutes the nutritional content of the honey. Therefore, the best honey for you is straight from the home. It got me thinking about our understanding of Jesus.

How often do we allow the gospel to be watered down? Or the character of Jesus to be recycled until it fits our narrative? When we read the stories in the Bible are we really listening or are we finishing the sentences in our heads to say we accomplished our Christian duty for the day? Are we losing vital nutritional content because our lens is skewed from outside pollutants? A close friend of mine recently said, 

“I want to actually know Him. Not what I’ve been told about Him.”  

When I sit and intentionally seek the presence of Jesus there is a weight to it. I am entering a holy place. One where I shouldn’t even be worthy of entering yet the One I seek made it possible because He wanted those moments too. He is kind and gentle yet an all consuming fire that sometimes hurts when I get too close because my idols are burning away. He is loving and patient yet jealous and His court is that of pure justice. We ask what He would do or say we want to be more like Him but when He is looking for a willing servant the response we give is, “What about my plans?”

When we choose comfortability we are sacrificing fulfillment. There is a plague of sleepwalking Christians who have allowed the knowledge of a God to be enough for them. They use their own understanding as a compass and then display it to the world as the Truth. Jesus weeps for the Nicodemus. We are quick to run to the head of the table and be the guest of honor. Yet, it is humility He is after. When we get down to the heart of the matter we see a man who didn’t throw the stone, who was angered by greed and selfishness, and who cried to the Father for His suffering. 

We also see the response to the true understanding of Jesus. It looked like carrying a friend through the impossible to be healed, it felt like a desperation to just touch the cloak, and it sounded like repentance as He hung next to him. I see Him scanning the horizon waiting for a target to open up. An eager heart that longs to live a life of obedience. He isn’t looking for perfection because He knows He wouldn’t find it. It may take a try or two but He loves the journey with you. 

As Bob Goff says, “All of heaven is counting on you to show up and fully engage your beautiful life.”

Much love,

Lis